Cooking on a road trip

[kklowell]

I'm leaving in 10 days for a trip from Maine to Florida (I know...wrong season for that direction) and plan to mostly stay at Cabella's and Cracker Barrells, but I'd like to cook most of my meals in my truck topper... I wouldn't want to do that at Cracker Barrell certainly, but  how about Cabella's? What's the best bet for lunch time?

 

[ckelly78z]

At Cabela's, the designated RV overnight parking area is around back near the dumpsters, after business hours. I don't see a problem with cooking after the businesses close even at Cracker Barrel.

I assume lunch time will be at a rest stop on the road, not still parked somewhere ?

 

[Sofisintown]

Overnight stops are best left to be used for sleeping overnight, and with permission from the business.
It is not right to camp out there for the day (or days).
That usually leads to having vans and rvs banned from overnighting.

You can go to a local park, forest preserve, rest area or other out-of-the-way place to cook and spend the day . Often there are picnic tables, trash cans and toilets in such areas.
And make sure you never leave trash behind at the places you spend the day, or sleep for the night.

 

[WanderingRose]

What Sofi said.

 

[eDJ_]

There are plenty of roadside rest along the way.  I've seen plenty of people pull in in their rigs and fix something to eat.  These places often have picnic tables, restrooms, and tourist info pavilions too.  Generally there are vending machines where you can get cold drinks etc. 

Why not utilize these resources ?

 

[kklowell]

At Cabela's, the designated RV overnight parking area is around back near the dumpsters, after business hours. I don't see a problem with cooking after the businesses close even at Cracker Barrel.

I assume lunch time will be at a rest stop on the road, not still parked somewhere ?

yes, lunch will be on the road.

 

[kklowell]

There are plenty of roadside rest along the way.  I've seen plenty of people pull in in their rigs and fix something to eat.  These places often have picnic tables, restrooms, and tourist info pavilions too.  Generally there are vending machines where you can get cold drinks etc. 

Why not utilize these resources ?

I expect I'll find some rest areas, but I'm planning to stay off of highways as much as possible, so I don't anticipate many full-service rest areas.

 

[kklowell]

Overnight stops are best left to be used for sleeping overnight, and with permission from the business.
It is not right to camp out  there for the day (or days).
That usually leads to having vans and rvs banned from overnighting.

You can go to a local park,  forest preserve, rest area or other out-of-the-way place to cook and spend the day . Often there are picnic tables, trash cans and toilets in such areas.
And make sure you never leave trash behind at the places you spend the day, or sleep for the night.

I think I left a wrong impressions here... I have no intention of camping anywhere on my trip, just overnight sleeping and finding places to stop to prepare meals. I never leave trash behind, and often pick up trash that others have left. I'm planning to spend my days driving, but making lots of stops at places that catch my eye, or appeal to the part of me that loves history.

 

[GypsyJan]

I would never cook outside my car or even set up a camp chair at a business (Walmart, Cracker Barrell, etc.) it is best to coast into those after dark & just sleep. Rest areas and local parks are where I lounge and cook out.

 

[Tony's Dream]

I agree, if you want to sleep and eat or anything else.....go to some place designated as such. When I stop, its sleep time.

 

[vanbrat]

Does your phone help? Sounds like you know how to do it, just looking for where. I am no help there, the only time I spent on the south part of that coast area was in an airplane.

When we are out, I can usually ask my phone for close dog parks, playgrounds, and good picnic parks, etc. I usually get a lot of pin marks.

I have not yet slept in a Walmart or Cracker Barrel or what ever, but we have slept often at rest areas and I have done some cooking there. There was a lady who was watching and talked about her new life in her car one night. Hubby and I had a pretty good argument going so I did not invite her to eat with us..... Next time some one is looking at our food like that I will. We have had some interesting conversations like that.

Maybe you could pack your lunch like people that take their lunches to work each morning while dealing with breakfast. We have been know to do that. We keep a small ice chest just for that stuff up front.

Hubby likes to hit a McD's for burgers and then the rest is from the kitchen in the van or ice chest. I would rather skip the McD's, but that is also when we get ice for my tea so ......

I have had cereal and tea for breakfast for so many years even we are planning on a big Denny's or ? I still start with a small bowl of cereal and tea before hubby is even up. I don't care where we are. Most rest areas are fine for that.

 

[kklowell]

Again, I have no intentions to eat in the parking lot of a business and never did have any plan of doing so. My question was really asking when you're travelling and want to stop and prepare a meal, where do you do that? Some of you did answer the question, with suggestions of parks and rest areas and I thank you for that.

 

[kklowell]

With the reading comprehension skills so often evidenced in a forum. I swear I don't know why some people even participate in them
As i previously said, i do not cook at any stop that is just a sleep stop. Such as Walmart or cracker barrel.

 

[john*thomas]

See what you can find on the routes you plan on taking.

https://freecampsites.net/

You note you don't plan on main roads which makes this even more attractive. Many of these sites aren't far off the beaten path. While many are little more than wide places off the road they are intended for such use. Some will have fire rings so while you may cook in your camper they are designed for just this kind of stop if you would wish to cook.

Only issue is you can't really determine before hand if any of the spots are open.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I would cook at any business, in any parking lot, I often park next to those little verges in large shopping centres or malls with a tree or on the edges of parking lots, usually the farthest away where there is a bit of dirt, so I can dispense of any extra water. I cook when it is time to eat, when I am hungry, there is no shame nor is there a need to hide, cooking and eating are normal for most people. I often stop and have a hot drink, anywhere, side of the road, busy downtown Main Street of the city, at a truck stop before going to bed, waiting for a ferry, most of the time no one even knows I am doing it. I often talk to strangers while preparing a cup of tea or a dish with the door wide open. Am I missing something here?

 

[Happy Camper]

With the reading comprehension skills so often evidenced in a forum. I swear I don't know why some people even participate in them
As i previously said,  i do not cook at any stop that is just a sleep stop. Such as Walmart or cracker barrel.

When the initial post is not clear regarding the answers you're seeking, and the follow-up posts your post don't' completely clarify, don't get frustrated that you didn't get the answers you hoped for. 

It sounds like you're doing drive and explore days and sleep at night. The best places to cook in your truck topper is any quiet place you might find that gives you the time for how you cook. Are you cooking with a portable cooktop, oven, other?  This would be helpful to know, as cooking in a truck top seems like you could pull over anywhere and "cook". Some would say just get a roadpro and cook while driving, and eat anywhere you want. How you cook is an important factor in where you can cook.

People are giving generic answers because of a generic question. I hope this helps.

 

[Cammalu]

I cook wherever I stop for the night but if I’m at Walmart after driving all day I’ll usually grab something from the deli or take out restaurant nearby

 

[WanderingRose]

Almost every tow has a small city park of some sort, most of which are closed from sunset to sunrise, but offer a quiet spot during the day if you want to cook, take a nap, walk your dog, etc.

 

[maki2]

It is summertime, no need to do a lot of cooked meals. Salads, sandwiches, fruit and raw veggies are great as are totilla wraps. The grocery stores sell hardboiled eggs by the half dozen of course cheese does not need cooking. Don't forget that nuts are also very good nutition in place of eating cooked meats. You can thrive without doing much if any cooking if you are adapatable to changing what you eat.

 

[bullfrog]

Mixed nuts and raisins take care of dinner and desert!